Friday, May 29, 2009

To celebrate Havaianas new online shop, the brand is offering a 50% discount and free local delivery for all online orders placed between June 1-30. Additionally, all local Hong Kong residents who register within the site during this period will be sent a gift Havaianas keychain or mobile phone strap — with no purchase required.

I think I first encountered this lamp about a year ago at La Foret in Causeway Bay and every time I pass by it, I still have this incredible urge to purchase it. Forget the fact that I don’t need a lamp, that it doesn’t go with the décor of any of my rooms, that I really have no use for it. I still want it. It’s another one of those hedgehog doorstoppers or maneki neko cat watercoolers. If I think it through, this lamp is really a duck lamp with an egg as a lampshade (I believe if you take away the egg shell, you get a duck with a glowing head). So what’s the appeal? I don’t know but maybe some of you can agree with me so I don’t feel like such a loser Geek.

Just because you don't want to shell out the dough to buy something, doesn't mean you can't own it. Or at least the cheaper knockoff version of it. That's fast fashion for you.

I'm not the biggest fan of knockoffs. After you've seen every Tom, Dick and Harry on the streets of Hong Kong with a monogram LV tote or a very passable Bottega woven slouchy bag, you'll know what I mean. But to me, "taking inspiration" is kind of different from knocking off. For example: copying logo and intending for your bag to pass as branded = bad. High street retailers doing the red sole a la Louboutin = not good. DIY-happy bloggers studding jeans and cutting holes in leggings and shredding tights and tees = legitimate. Etsy shop owners taking a hoop of fabric and attaching two long strips of fabric to create some version of the super-convertible Butter by Nadia dress I mentioned I'd been wanting for two years: totally okay in my book, as long as it gets me closer to the object of affection.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

I wear the pants, yes I do! A little package arrived yesterday containing, among other things, these pleat-front cropped trousers from YesStyle. Was feeling somewhat hesitant about them in the beginning (I've never really been able to buy pants online, what with a somewhat awkwardly proportioned lower half) but I luff luff luff them now that they've safely arrived and are positioned so perfectly on my hips, teamed with a ruffly beige top and nude accessories all over the place. I know they're a simple pair of khakis, but it's hard enough to buy a good paid of pants when you get to try them on, much less lucking into the perfect fit by looking at pictures of super-skinny and super-styled photos online. Now... decision time. Do I want them in black as well?

On another note, if you knew ShoeGeek, you'd know this below is the ultimate ShoeGeek outfit. Fringey black top, wide-leg fuschia shorts. As Rachel Zoe would say, I DIE. But why would you sell the shorts in one size only, especially if that size is a 24 waist? EVIL!

Considering how much some people spend on drinking (whether it's binge-intoxication or investment in fine wines...), I guess it's logical that they might spend a bucket-load on a case to store their drinking games too! This all-in-one Vernice ostrich-leather carrying case is lined in leather and comes with crystal wine glasses, with space for your bottle o' booze, two packs of cards, two coasters, a bottle opener, bottle stopper, etc.

Maybe it's just the picture, but it kind of looks like the inside of a flasher's coat to me (or some guy hawking fake Rolexes lined in rows across his jacket lining) though if you're trying to sway someone into a game of strip poker, or add some class to your weekly bridge game at the Y, this is the way to go. If you can afford it, that is: it's 2113 euros at Farfetch.com

I’ve been wanting to post about the miracle fruit for the longest time but wasn’t sure where you could find it in Hong Kong but now I’ve discovered that you can buy the tablets on ThinkGeek and ship them to Hong Kong so I think it’s time I do the post. I first encountered this West African fruit when I was in Tokyo at the famed Tapas Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Tokyo. As a venue that only has seven seats for its degustation molecular cuisine menu, I had to book two months in advance. The miracle fruit was the last item on the menu and it really took the cake. Prior to trying the berry, we were given a plate of lemons, grapefruit, limes etc. In the interest of science, I licked the fruit and the sourness definitely had me puckering my mouth. I pop the miracle berry in the mouth, chew it and then was told to try the fruit again. Imagine my surprise as the extreme sweetness that filled my mouth. I was able to literally chomp down a lemon and it was saccharine sweet. The effect lasted for about 30 minutes and was definitely a pleasant surprise. Give it a try if you’re feeling adventurous. My only question is, where does ThinkGeek source their miracle tablets from? With Chinese on its packaging, is it also commonly available in Hong Kong and I am just behind the times?

Sometimes it really is all in the name. I’m very tempted to buy this scrub simply coz Bliss has named it Fat Girl Scrub. It’s Bliss’ latest addition to the Fat Girl family, Fat Girl Slim and Fat Girl Sleep are both available at www.yesstyle.com by the way (again with reasonable prices). It’s pitched as a skin-smoothing, circulation-stimulating body exfoliator for less-than-perfect parts. I don’t know how effective it is but if I am using a body scrub on a regular basis, it might just make me feel that much better if I think that I’m going to lose some blub by doing something I do every day. The fact sheet even comes with some tips on how to “scrub my way to slim” (the sub editor in me is wondering what that phrase means. Shouldn’t they have said scrub my way to a slimmer body?) Anyway, the pitch is that this scrub contains red algae that reduce the appearance of water retention. I wouldn’t expect miracles ladies but at least mentally, we’ll all feel a bit better about getting more bang for the scrub.

Hong Kong summers are extreme: you can walk a block in mid-May and be drenched in sweat, swing into the mall and be frozen from air-conditioning two seconds later. Most gals throw a wrap in their summer bags so they don't get sick over dinner, but I've been looking for options to replace the ever-present pashmina.

I'm kind of interested in the logistics of these Harlequin felt neckpieces, which help you keep warm in air-conditioned areas, but aren't so granny-influenced. They also pay homage to the statement neckwear trend. But trend-following aside, they're just kind of cool. The way the felt is draped and dyed creates this very Georgia O'Keefe-inspired look that I think would look great with simple little dresses and tanks. The reason these look so avant garde is because the maker is an artist who creates installation and performance art pieces in addition to these little gems of "wearable art".

Harlequin separately sells some crazy printed vests that are kind of Marni-meets-Dries-meets-the bag lady around the corner. I can't decide whether or not they're fabulous or just hype.

Monday, May 25, 2009

If you’re up to the challenge, head on over to Copa Steakhouse at Sands Macau where they are hosting the 50 ounce Giant Steak Challenge from now until June 30. If you finished it within an hour, you will receive a certificate AND get this HK$1,250 Australian Wagyu steak on the house (ShoeGeek tells me that apparently for these contests, you must finish EVERYTHING. An acquaintance of hers cut off the fat and was disqualified.) Other celebrations include a 20cm diameter Portugese egg tart (much more tempting to me as I can’t even finish an 8 ounce steak) and special discounts off buffets, meals and what not. See below:

Restaurante Pérola is offering:· The largest Portuguese egg tart in Macau with a 20 cm diameter· A 30% discount on the à-la-carte menu· An International Wine Buffet every Thursday through Saturday for only MOP88· A semi buffet with three (3) selections or a semi buffet with three (3) selections and one main course for MOP 138+ and MOP 198+ respectively

888 Las Vegas Buffet is offering:· Lunch at MOP 108+, the same price as Grand Opening in 2004· A daily International Wine Buffet for only MOP88

Xanadu Entertainment Bar and The View are offering:· All-new Mocktails and Cocktails ranging from MOP 30++ to MOP 42++ with live entertainment everyday

For more information about the Copa Steakhouse 50 ounce Giant Steak Challenge or the dining promotions during the Sands Macao’s 5th Anniversary, please visit www.sands.com.mo or call (853) 8983-8366.

GUARANTEED to be packed. The Dior sale in Causeway Bay always inspires a snake of a crowd to line up -- usually hundreds of office ladies stacked upon each other to get in, and a good other 30-40 in line inside buying stuff they may or may not want but feel like they should get, just because they lined up for so damn long to get in. Try your luck, if you dare... or get there at 10am, on the DOT.

Friday, May 22, 2009

I've been rather unadventurous with my shoe choices lately, which is uncharacteristic of me. "No pain, no gain" tends to my philosophy when it comes to footwear, and I barely ever wore flats, until I caved a couple of weeks ago and picked up a pair of flat sandals. Not flip-flops (which everyone has, so doesn't count), but real flat sandals. And I've been wearing them incessantly, as one is wont to do with new and novel purchases.

Of course, so schizophrenic is my signature style stance that voila, one week later, I'm surfing for stripper shoes after Sassy Hong Kong posted these Marc Jacobs-alike heart-shaped cut-out wedges. After googling Karo Shoes, I've discovered a whole new world of deliciously tacky, wooden wedges with clear plastic straps all over the place and embellishments you never thought possible, that demand to be worn with high-waisted puffy A-line skirts and loose sheer tank tops...

Granted, I haven't witnessed many strippers in action, but I don't think I've ever seen such edgy footwear as these lace-back platform booties.

Clear and tacky and oh-so-wacky -- can you imagine how cute these would be? But as for walking... that might be a challenge.

The cut-out shapes are at once innovative and super-kitschy but I love them anyway.

Wardrobe Workout

Welcome to another wonderful round up of Links a La Mode! This week we have a wonderful selection of posts to help refine, define, and challenge your wardrobe. From Agent Lover and Style Symmetry, we’ve got the spectrum covered when it comes to hosting and attending Clothing Swaps. Clutch22 shares with us how to negotiate price matching at retailers, and Krislyn Diaries challenges us to try out great summer up-do’s. Decline Designs conceptualizes personal style, while Dirty Laundry helps us refine our self portraits. All in all, our lovely bloggers help you get your wardrobe and personal style fit and in shape for the upcoming Summer season!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

By now, you are probably well versed in us Geek’s affection for shoes. After all, why would we have the SHOErotica column, dedicated to shoes we love but can’t afford? Imagine my surprise when I saw a giant stiletto shoe chair in Quarry Bay earlier today. It was just chilling with a pair of jeans, a hat and a t-shirt and I immediately thought I needed to share this with you:ShoeGeek (she’s called a ShoeGeek for a reason) then tells me that she’s seen cuter ones in the US. After a bit of digging, hey presto, FashionGeek brings you a website, aptly called Sexy Furnishings, where you can customise your own stiletto shoe chair AND they will ship it to Hong Kong. Enjoy!

For no reason whatsoever, I've been looking for animalwear. Probably because Misters Margiela and Kane have had me dancing with wolves and kickin it with King Kong for the past couple of seasons...

Some days, a girl just wants to let her inner animal out. Christopher Kane knows that. He knows that once in a while (maybe once a month), a girl just has all this aggression, and she just has to let the world know of it, perhaps via a really angry gorilla dress. "You think my PMS is bad? Wait till you meet King Kong!"

Vivienne Tam did her Fall collection in cahoots with a bunch of fluffy pandas. You gotta love how she subtly worked them into the prints. Then again, who doesn't like pandas anyway?

Give up your foxy mink for a foxy scarf. Something about this scarf just says to me: "The quick brown fox jumped over..." It also kinda makes me think of Fantastic Mr Fox. Remember him?

You cannot imagine how cool it would be to be able to rock this owl dress without looking like a lame Asian lolita type. Supposedly Agyness has one of her own. Oh, to be young and edgy and able to wear owl dresses without worrying that you look ridiculous!

As a girl, I always feel sorry for boys with shoe fetishes, because the men's footwear selections always seem so boring and limited. (Then again, I know of at least one man who can stare endlessly and shamelessly at his own Church's black work shoes for hours on end, nevermind the fact that he's in the middle of dinner or you are talking to him.) There's an abundance of funky sneakers, but those aren't work-appropriate and the high-fashion Lane Crawford stuff tends to be a bit over the top. So what recourse does a man of style have, but to custom-design his own pair?

In Hong Kong, it's easy to find stores that do customised footwear, as loads of spots specialize in doing "designer-inspired" designs (cough, knockoff, cough) at lower prices (in the HK$500-1000 range), but if you want the quality to approach that of John Lobb, JM Weston or Church's, these are the spots you should check:

Kow Hoo Shoes, in Prince's Building, has been around since 1946, which is quite a feat considering the face of Hong Kong's shopping districts changes on a yearly basis. They specialize in making Goodyear welted shoes, which is fancy shoe jargon referring to the way in which the shoe is attached to the sole. The Goodyear method is signature of well-made British men's shoes. They also claim to be the only shop in town that creates customized wooden shoe lasts for each individual customer, which means that a wooden "foot" is created in the image of your foot for fitting the shoes. Considering the last time I had shoes made, all the shopkeeper did was put my bare foot on a piece of paper and draw a pencil outline around it, crime-scene style, a real shoe last sounds pretty darn cool. The downside is that you have to wait an average of eight months to get these babies made, and the average cost is HK$5,000, but these are definitely the best in town. Shop 241, 2/F Prince's Building, 10 Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong. Tel: 852 2523 0489.

Mayer Shoe Co. is slightly cheaper (if I recall, around HK$3,000), and can turn things around much quicker (a couple to a few weeks or so). They do fancier, trendier items as well, but it's the classics that keep customers returning to their boutique in the Mandarin Oriental shopping arcade. Supposedly, Henry Kissinger was a regular. Not sure if that's a selling point to anyone; I don't think Kissinger had the same kind of street cred that Imelda Marcos did. They do customized shoe lasts too, but from what I understand, they use pre-made ones in bigger sizes then cut them to fit, which is why they can shave six months off the waiting time. They've also been around for a while, since the 1960s, so the pedigree is there. Mandarin Oriental Arcades, 5 Connaught Rd., Central, Hong Kong. Tel: 852 2524 3317.

It's only a hop and a skip between the two shops, so if you're in the market, then you might as well hit both for yourself and check out the difference.

Summer’s fast approaching and if you’re diligent about your skincare routine, it’s time to put away those winter products and change to lighter summer products. Here’s a select few that FashionGeek recommends:Oily SkinInstead of using a facial cream which will just lead to more build-up to your skin, try using the Aesop Fabulous Face Oil. It may seem a bit counter-intuitive to be putting oil in your skin during humid weather but trust me, this baby penetrates into your skin very quickly and will hydrate your skin while leaving you without that greasy feeling.

Combination SkinGuerlain’s Super Aqua Serum is my absolute favourite to use. It is a bit on the pricey side but I’ve found that it hydrates the dry patches beautifully while not clogging up the T-zone area.

Dry skinIf your skin tends to be on the dry side, check out Clarins’ HydraQuench Rich Cream. During the summer, it might be a bit too rich (unless you have very dry skin) so be sure to only use a small dollop and adding more as needed.

Aesop: Available at Lane CrawfordGuerlain: Available at Lane Crawford, Harvey Nichols Clarins: Available at Clarins (Yes I know this is a bit stupid to put in but for consistency's sake I included this line)

Guerlains and Clarins are also available at www.yesstyle.com for a cheaper price (Guerlain’s Super Aqua Serum retails for HK$1,400, on YesStyle it’s HK$1,178)